Improvement in mole-ditching machine



A. PETERSON.

Ditching Machine. No. 106N721. Patented Aug. 23, 1870.

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ALFRED PETERSON, OF STOGKWELL, INDIANA.

Letters Patent No. 106,721, dated August 23, 1.870.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOLE-DITCHING- MACHINE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame I, ALFRED Pn'rsnsou, of Stockwell, in the county of Tippecanoe andState of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in llIole-ditchingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

Nature and Objects of the I ncention.

The first part of my invention relates to construction and arrangementof the framework to which the for operating the capstan, the objectbeing to provide for an easier and more expeditious removal of the capstan forward as the ditcher is drawn up to it.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing. Figure l is a side elevation ofa mole-ditching machine and removable capstan embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a top or plan view oft-he same. Fignre3 is a plan view ofthe lever for operating the capstan.

General Description.

The ditcher is composed of the beam A, the forward end of which issupported by the axle and trucks B O, the cutter D and mole E, attachedby the upper end to the piece F, which is hinged at its forward end tothe beam A, as shown, the uprights G, cross-beam H, and adjusting-screwI.

The beam A is made broad at the rear end, to have a bearing'upon theground, in order to prevent the beam A from canting or tripping, andthis, combined with the manner of attaching the beam to the axle 1i,supports the cutter D in an upright position.

The forward endof the beam is also hung to the under side of the axle B,so as to bring it as close to the ground as practicable, the designbeing to support itahont three inches off the ground.

The upper end of the cnttenhar D is pivoted in 'the piece, as shown, andthe position of the latter is regulated by means of the adjusting-screwI.

The mole E is so iormed and attached to the cutterbar, and the latter isattached to the frame in such a manner that, as they are drawn throughthe ground, the upper part of the mole presses or compacts the earth inthe upper part of the drain, so as to form a compact arched earthensupport thereto, at the same time leaving the bottom of the drainuncompressed, and hence porous, to admit the free ingress of the waterfrom the bottom of the drain, thus avoiding danger of its beingdisintegrated or washed out by an excess of water.

The capstan is mounted on a frame, J, the latter being supported onwheels K, to make it easily transportable.

The forward axle is hung by cars, attached to its top and pivoted in theforward ends of the side timbers of the frame, as shown, so arrangedthat the axles and trucks may-be turned up, as indicated by the dottedlines in figs. l and 2.

The rear axle is hung in hearings to the under side of the side-flametimbers, the outer ends of the axle being bent into the form of a crank,so that these wheels may also he turned up, as shown.

The object of this arrangementofthe axles is to provide a ready mode ofletting the frame J down. so that the feet L will engage with andentcrthc ground as the draw-rope M is wound upon the spool N, and thushold the capstan firmly in position, and also so that, when it isdesired to move the capstan forward, by turning the tin-ward wheels downby means of'the tongue O, the forward end of the frame will be raised,and thereby drawing the fin'ward feet L out of the ground.

Now, by starting the capstan-trucks forward, the rear wheels willbe.tnrned back by friction upon the ground until the arms of the axlercst against the stops P, at the same time drawing the rear feet L outof the ground, when the truck may be moved forward to the desiredposition. The lever-bar Q, in the mean time having been removed, therope or chain M is un wound from the spool N as the capstan movesforward. When the capstan-truck has been moved to the position desired,the axles are again turned up, allowingthefeet L to enter the groundwhen the above-described operation is repeated.

The feet L, instead of being rigidly fixed to the frame, as is commonlydone, are hinged to the frame, as shown, so that they may fold backwardwhen the capstan-truckis moved forward, thus avoiding the necessity ofprying them out of the ground, and thereby facilitating the removal ofthe capstan. The feet are prevented from turning backward by means ofthe chains or cords c.

- In order to make the wooden spool N upon which the rope. or chain M iswound in a substantial man ner, and so that it will run as light aspracticable,'I-

The lever is made in two parts, the head-piece '1 having a casting, a,set in its edge, pierced with a square hole to receive the upper end ofthe shaft.

A stirrup t is attached at one end of the piece to receive the end ofthe lever-bar Q, and a hooked piece, V, at the other end, to hold it inplace, the design of this construction being to secure great strength,combined with convenience for removal of the leverbar Q, when required.I

The ad\"antage claimed for the improvementherein described consists,first, in attaching the inole E directly to the cutter D, and incombination therewith the arrangement of the adjustable piece F, hingedto the beam A, and to which the cutter is attached by its upper end, thewholebeing designed and arranged to compact the earth in the upper partof the drain in such a manner as to form substantial smooth-arched wall,that will be less liable to disintegrate than drains made by themole-ditchers heretofore in use; and second, in the arrangement andcombination of the hinged feet L with the axles R and the wheels K,constructed and operating to make the capstan employed to oper ate theditcher, so as to render it more easily transportable.

Witnesses DANIEL W. KNEFLER, O. F. MAYHEW.

